Boathouse Concerts
Since 1992, Pam and Charlie Weber have hosted live music at Weber & Co., the warehouse where Charlie restores classic wood boats. The Boathouse Concerts focus on traditional and contemporary folk music, as it often tells of a way of life that existed or is threatened with extinction – much like the historic waterfront artist colony at Fifth Avenue Point. At the Boathouse, the audience enjoys an intimate setting, shares homemade desserts and has an opportunity to meet and visit with the musicians. In an age of stadium extravaganzas, with bands on oversized screens, ticket (and parking) prices equally oversized, Boathouse guests sit just feet away from the performers for a small donation, all of which is given to the entertainers. This is an experience rarely available to inner city working residents.
For Performers
The Boathouse Concerts are produced by the Fifth Avenue Institute, which participates in a growing network of organizations providing “infill” bookings for small venue traveling performers (see HouseConcerts.com, Concertsinyourhome.com and FolkMusic.org.) The Institute also works with members of the Far-West regional chapter of the International Folk Alliance , which fosters and promotes traditional, contemporary and multi-cultural folk music, dance and related performing arts. Additionally, the Institute Board members bring attention to acts playing at regional festivals, and invitations are extended with the message that an appreciative audience can be found at the Boathouse.
Past Boathouse Concerts
2008-2009 Performance Series
February 2, 2008 (attended by 52 guests)
Tallulah Cameron, singer/songwriters, musician
Brian Theriault and Fun with Finnoula, traditional Celtic
Glenn Houston and Travis Jones, singers/songwriters, musicians
July 19, 2008 (attended by 65 guests)
Chojo Jacques and Billy Bright, nationally recognized musicians (mandolin, fiddle, guitar), traditional and contemporary bluegrass.
November 22, 2008 (attended by 70 guests)
Michael McNevin, singer/songwriter, musician, past winner of the Kerrville New Folk award in Texas, a 5-time winner of the West Coast Songwriters Association "Song Of The Year”.
January 10, 2009, Attended by 70 guests
Keith Greeninger, singer/songwriter, musician, winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Songwriters Contest and the Napa Valley Songwriting competition. Keith performs solo, with Dayan Kai, and City Folk.
April 11, 2009, Attended by 76 guests
Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum, with
Chad Manning
Laurie is a singer/songwriter, musician (fiddle,
mandolin, guitar, standup bass), Grammy
winner, and has twice been named Female
Vocalist of the Year by the IBMA (International
Bluegrass Music Association). Laurie’s performing companion is ace mandolinist-singer Tom Rozum; they were joined by Chad Manning, fiddler who has performed with David Grisman. www.LaurieLewis.com
Concert Protocol
The Fifth Avenue Institute produces the Boathouse Concert Series as part of its mission to preserve artisan communities and encourage art and music in neighborhoods.
Unless otherwise noted:
Doors open at 7 pm; Performances begin at 8 pm.
Donation of $20 goes to the musicians
Attendance by reservation only (over 18 only)
Reservations: boatwork@aol.com
Guests are asked to bring a dessert, savory or beverage to share
There is always a barrel by the door for the Food Bank
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Johnsmith,
Singer/songwriter, musician, and teacher,
winner of the New Folk competition at the
Kerrville Folk Festival, was touring to promote
his latest CD, "Break Me Open,” which features
some of the finest players in acoustic music
today: Darrell Scott, Tim O’Brien, Stuart Duncan,
Byron House, Kenny Malone, Andrea Zonn, Dan Sebranek, Bill Miller, John also conducts tours of Ireland. He won our hearts at the Boathouse and we asked him to promise to include us on next year's visit to the West Coast. www.johnsmithmusic.com
Saturday, August 29, 2009 (80 guests)
Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Chad Manning, Andrew Conklin and Patrick Sauber.
Laurie, in the midst of an extended tour with Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, returned with Tom and Chad and added Andrew Conklin on
bass and Patrick Sauber on mandolin, guitar and banjo. This was one incredible show! www.LaurieLewis.com
Steve Meckfessel
Keith Greeninger
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Stevie Coyle
With a background in theater, television,
commercials, radio, voiceovers and films, Stevie
in the late '90s co-founded and fronted The
Waybacks and toured with them through 2007.
The band released 4 albums, played festivals like
Merlefest, Grey Fox, Floydfest and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, toured Australia and collaborated with Lloyd Maines, Michelle Shocked and Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead.
Stevie's gone solo now, is performing at festivals and house concerts, and just completed his first solo CD, “Ten On One” produced by singer/songwriter and guitar guru Walter Strauss. We were amazed by Stevie's concert -- guitar students, young and old, were concentrating on his fingerpicking technique. No one expected to end the evening singing along to the theme from Gilligan's Island!
Visit Stevie’s website (www.StevieCoyle.com) for his tour schedule, audio samples, CDs and CD-Quality Downloads.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Steve Meckfessel and Keith Greeninger
Steve was originally booked as a solo act, but he is usually surrounded by incredible musicians , including Keith Greeninger, who produced and performed on Steve's latest CD "Under Beautiful Skies." He and Keith shared the evening, and as Steve said, "we will be trading songs, backing each other up, and generally making merry." That was an understatement! Steve was accompanied by Bob Hahn, songwriter and harmonica wizard, and Julie Baker on harmonies. Michael McNevin sang a few originals, then sat in with Steve and Keith. They invited Sherry Austin and Sharon Allen out of the audience. The entire group performed the encores. It was a magical night at the Boathouse!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Keith Greeninger and Dayan Kai
Another wonderful evening at the Boathouse! We were
surprised when Keith mentioned that he and Dayan were
releasing a new CD in November. because Keith had
graciously not mentioned it at Steve Meckfessel's CD
release party in October. Dayan is a singer-songwriter,
arranger andproducer with a lifelong commitment to
music. He's also a stunning accompanist who has
released five solo albums as well as two albums with his former band Water. ("Back to You," with Keith, brought us 'Red Wine Again,' 'Juanita' and 'Waiting for the Rain'). Keith performed solo at the Boathouse earlier in the year and with Steve Meckfessel and friends. Keith and Dayan's friendship is reflected in their performance and the material from their new CD is breathtakingly beautiful. Friends Bob Hahn on harmonica, Michael McNevin on electric guitar, and Art Alm (from "Water") on keyboard, joined them on stage during the second set.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Alisa Fineman and Kimball Hurd
Long-time favorites in Northern California,
Alisa Fineman and Kimball Hurd delivered an
incredible evening of music -- their beautiful
vocal harmonies and Kimball's talent on
guitar, mandolin, mandola, dobro, banjo and
slide guitar made them instant favorites at the
Boathouse.
In addition to their tour as a duo, Kimball also performs with Keith Greeninger and Roger Feuer in City Folk, a group that enjoyed national recognition in the mid-1990s, and their 2009 reunion tour was so successful it will continue this year.
You can hear cuts from Alisa’s and Kimball’s new CD
Faith in our Love at:
2010 Boathouse Concert Series
Saturday, January 30, 2010
California Honeydrops Rock the Boathouse
The California Honeydrops’ appearance at
the Boathouse on January 30 before a
sell-out crowd provided another memorable
night of music at Fifth Avenue. One review:
“Wow and WOW!” Formed in November 2007, the California Honeydrops first performed on the streets and in BART stations in Oakland. Playfully crossing genres from Roots and Blues to R&B and soul, The California Honeydrops’ sound is tied together by soulful vocal harmonies, colorful brass and horns, and a funky, good-times New Orleans rhythm section. They are the best party in the Bay Area. The Honeydrops performed between the boats, permitting better visability and sound and allowing more room for the audience (even some space for dancing). The Honeydrops promised to return, but in the meantime, don’t miss an opportunity to see them. Check their schedule:
As we expected, Ronny charmed our crowd with humor, stories and everything from swing tunes, old favorites and love songs to real-life anthems. He was accompanied by Radoslav Lorkovic on keyboard and accordian, Karen Mal on mandolin and harmony vocals and Ronny's son Brian Cox on percussion.
If you can't see Ronny live, pick up one of his cds -- "Songs With Repercussions", "How I Love Them Old Songs", "At The Sebastiani" "Ronny Cox Live", "Cowboy Savant" or "Acoustic Eclectricity."
As promised we went home thinking we had spent the evening with an old friend. We will definitely want to have Ronny back at the Boathouse!
Check out Ronny’s website: http://www.ronnycox.com
Deliverance Star Trek Beverly Hills Cop
Saturday May 1, 2010
Ronny Cox
Boathouse Concerts
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Sherry Austin Band
Laurie and Nina performed material we had
not heard in a long time -- and it was fun to
watch them as a duet. Grammy-winner
Laurie and much-in-demand guitarist Nina
provided a beautiful evening!
In 2009, Laurie and Nina Gerber recorded
and toured with Dave Alvin, Christy
McWilson, Amy Farris, Cindy Cashdollar, Sarah Brown and Lisa Pankratz
as Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women. The group is still touring between their individual solo appearances.
It was a pleausre to watch these friends get together, and the results were memorable. Nina's solo of "Imagine" was spellbinding.
Laurie's website: www.LaurieLewis.com
Nina's website: www.NinaGerber.com
Sherry and her band were awesome! Beautiful
vocal harmony with Sharon Allen (also on
guitar) and wonderful musicianship by Dorian Michael on guitar, and Chris Key on bass. They made many new friends here and we enjoyed meeting their Santa Cruz fans.
Sherry Austin is a natural born songwriter and singer with a recently bloomed music career. After playing life’s parts – daughter, student, friend, wanderer, wife, mother, single parent, Sherry got on the road of doing what she should – playing music.
Sherry is a mainstay in the Santa Cruz music scene and is invited often to perform on the stages at the popular Sisters, Kate Wolf Memorial and American River Music Festivals. Her most recent cd, "Drive on Back," features Tim O’Brien, Keith Greeninger, Charlie Wallace, Dayan Kai, and, of course, her band -- Sharon Allen and Lisa Burns.
Long-time friend Sharon Allen, who recently released her own cd, "Along the Way" (featuring Sherry and Lisa, along with Keith Greeninger, Charlie Wallace and Chojo Jacques), joins Sherry with beautiful vocal harmony, and Lisa Burns accompanies them on bass.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Laurie Lewis and Nina Gerber
Saturday, January 22, 2011
City Folk
City Folk packed the house! When they sang
George Harrison's "Something" a capella, there
weren't many dry eyes in the room.
Formed twenty years ago, City Folk gained national attention, then went their separate ways in 1995 amid the pressures of being on the road ten months of the year. This amazing group rejoined for a few reunion shows (including two at the Freight and Salvage and sold-out shows at Kuumbwa Jazz Center) and an audience that won't let them retire again any time soon.
City Folk's intense three-part harmonies bring original messages ranging from social consciousness and respect for the planet, patriotism to drinking red wine with your friends. Their new cd, much of which was recorded live, will be available soon.
City Folk offers a vocal blend and incredible musicianship you won't forget.
They made a promise to return, and we're going to hold them to it.
April 16, 2011
Adler and Hearne
From their Spring Hollow Organic Song Farm in
the piney woods outside the rural arts hamlet of
Winnsboro, Texas – performing songwriters
Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne served up a bountiful
performance at the Boathouse.
The two met in Nashville while on solo musical
journeys. Years later their paths merged in Texas,
and they formed the duo Adler & Hearne. They
sing about life and relationships and remind us to
laugh at ourselves.
Lynn and Lindy hosted hundreds of musicians at the Crossroads Coffehouse in Winnsboro, Texas, which they founded five years ago. Artists who travel the world love coming to Winnsboro -- performers such as Ruthie Foster, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver, Terri Hendrix, Big Wide Grin and so many more have enjoyed the Crossroad’s audience.
Lindy and Lynn graciously invited some of the "locals," Brian Theriault on fiddle and Bob Hahn on harmonica to join them on stage. They certainly endeared themselves to our audience and will be invited to return when they next visit the West Coast.
February 26, 2011 -
California Honeydrops
Back by popular demand – celebrating success
of their recent release Spreadin’ Honey, the
California Honeydrops blend New Orleans R&B,
old-school soul, old-time Piedmont blues,
zydeco, swamp pop, gospel and both traditional
and modern jazz. The California Honeydrops did
not disappoint -- a packed house, with a few standing-room only guests!
Band leader and front man Lech Wierzynski was joined by drummer Ben Malament (Terry Reid, The Marvelettes, The Jelly Roll Souls), and bassist Seth Ford-Young (Tom Waits, Sean Hayes, Beats Antique). saxophonist Johnny Bones (Eddie Palmiere, Nell Carter, Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums) and Charlie Hickoxsitti sat in on keyboard. Lech brought an entire set of new music, all wonderful!
The Honeydrops are about to leave for a series of gigs in Spain, and were pleased that they have agreed to return to the Boathouse.
more about the Honeydrops at: http://www.cahoneydrops.com
Saturday, October 23, 2010
JohnSmith
We were delighted to welcome Johnsmith
back to the Boathouse!
Singer/songwriter, musician, storyteller and
teacher, winner of the New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival, John had returned from tours of Ireland and instructing at a 5-day songwriting workshop at the Esalen Institute at Big Sur.
John’s most recent cd, “Gravity of Grace, ” features Tom Prasada-Rao on tenor, 12 string, and banjo guitars, uke, violin, and some harmonies; Jagoda - awesome percussion; Darrell Scott - guitar & vocals; Tim O’Brien - mandolin & vocals; Radoslav Lorkovic – keys; Ray Bonneville - blues harp; Jimmy LaFave – vocals; Jonathan Byrd –vocals.
John brought Julie Baker to accompany him with her beautiful vocal harmony. She also surprised us with a few solos! It was and beautiful evening -- let's hope John will make the Boathouse a regular stop on his annual West Coast tour.
Read more about John on his website:
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore
Jack Williams
Saturday, August 20, 2011
We were prepared for this night to be wonderful,
because we have heard his music for years and were
told by Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne, Johnsmith,
and Ronny Cox that Jack Williams' performance
would be wonderful. We were unprepared for the
magical evening that ensued. In addition to stories about what inspired him, he took us through his musical history with a 25-minute number that covered everything from Jo Stafford, the Beatles, Dylan, and even some doo wop.
The music of Jack Williams, rooted in his native South Carolina, is shaped by a 51-year career of playing folk, rock, jazz and R&B. He is counted among the most dynamic performers on today's
"folk" circuit." Jack is considered a "musician's musician", an uncommonly unique guitarist, a writer of vivid songs with a strong sense of place, and a storyteller in an old Southern tradition. Vic Heyman, in SING OUT!, wrote, “He is one of the strongest guitar players in contemporary folk.” Jack prefers touring under the radar, playing concerts, large and small, week in and week out, from the sheer love of music and performing. Playing for more than 50 house concerts each year, Jack enjoys the intimacy of that venue most of all, with a more personal connection to his listeners. Jack is a sought-after artist on all contemporary acoustic music stages, from coffeehouses to music halls and city arts stages.
Do not miss an opportunity to see and hear Jack Williams; we promise to provide another one when he returns to the West Coast next year.
Check Jack's website: http://www.jackwilliamsmusic.com/
See Jack perform "Natural Man" on YouTube:
Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Terri and Lloyd came straight to us from
and delivered as promised. Terri had our
attention from the first note to the last of
the evening, with her wonderful original
material, commentary and stories. We
laughed, sang along, and some shed a few
tears ("If I Had a Daughter" will do that to one.
Lloyd's accompaniement is perfect -- of course, they've been a musical partnership for 17 years! He told great stories of his recent participant as a musician and producer of Robert Earl Keen's latest cd.
Another wonderful night at the Boathouse. Thank you Brian Gingerich, Monterey Mattress Marquis, for introducing us to Terri and Lloyd -- they are now part of the family.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Nina Gerber and Chris Webster
Nina Gerber and Chris Webster's
appearance at the Boathouse was nothing
short of magic! They are so much in sync as
performers that their delivery of incredible
music appears effortless.
They "mixed it up" and gave us a bit of everything, including stories. Nina added a few solos that had us on the edge of our seats. What a wonderful evening! We cannot wait for their return.
For further information about upcoming concerts, or inquiries about performing at the Boathouse, contact: boatwork@aol.com
JohnSmith
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Back by popular demand, Johnsmith once again filled
our evening with great music, stories and humor. This time he invited
to the stage several musicians from our audience - Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan (Folk Unlimited Orchestra), Bob Hahn on harmonica, and Fifth Avenue woodworker/musician Brian Theriault on fiddle. What a great night! He ended with everyone on stage and the audience joining in on Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." John will be return next year, and we always look forward to his performances.
John's website: www.johnsmithmusic.com
Future Boathouse Concerts
It's never too early to put music on your calendar!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Fiddle Summit 2012
Three well known and respected Bay Area fiddlers will grace our stage, each with one accompanying musician, each for one set. Then we’ll ask them all to gather for one big showdown.
Robyn Mercurio
John Pedersen
Brian Theriault
An "obsessed" Irish Fiddler, Robyn Mercurio is a registered Suzuki Violin instructor. She grew up as a Suzuki kid, beginning violin instruction at the age of 4. She has a special interest in working with beginning adults, very young children and children with special needs. She instructs Suzuki techniques with traditional fiddle styles. She is also a co-founder of Roots Music.
John Pedersen is the grandson of a noted Heldeberg Mountain fiddler and a multi-year winner of the Marin County Fair Fiddle Competition. He has been a member of the Fennigs All Stars, the Swamp Root String Band, the Arkansas Sheiks, and Highballers from Planet Hell and is a founding member of the Roadoilers and performs with a local Irish Traditional music group. John is a luthier and has worked at musical instrument repair s in New York, Toronto, San Francisco, and at his own store, Amazing Grace Music in San Anselmo.
Originally from Maine but has been in the west long enough to be called a transplant, Brian Theriault has a band called Fun With Finnoula featuring Burke Trieschmann and Leonardo Cartes.and plays with Skip Henderson and the Starboard Watch. Brian occasionally runs the sound at the Boathouse and has accompanied many of our performers.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
The California Honeydrops
Returning to the Boathouse for the third time, The
California Honeydrops dig deep into the roots of
American music and embrace the traditions of
blues, gospel, second line New Orleans jazz, and
early R&B with stellar performances of traditional as well as their own innovative music.Since their formation four years ago in East Bay BART stations, The California Honeydrops have completed six European tours, spread honey on crowds throughout the US, and recorded two full length albums of original music, all without the help of a record label or major booking agency. They deliver an irresistible sound that blends the energy and intimacy of a street performance, undeniable talent and musicianship, and the soul and fervor of a spiritual street parade. Band leader and front man Lech Wierzynski studied trumpet with Marcus Belgrave (Ray Charles), then moved to Oakland, honing his craft with Maria Muldaur and Dan Hicks,growing equally as a trumpeter, singer, and guitarist. The vibrant rhythm section of The California Honeydrops is fueled by saxophonist Johnny Bones and drummer Ben Malament, Doug Stuart on bass, and Charles Hickox on keys.
Doors open at 1:00 pm, performance begins at 2:00 pm
“Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore are two
national musical treasures. Combining blues
and bluegrass (and everything in-between)
with their soulful voices and stunning
instrumental chops, Mollie and Rich are a constant source of joy and inspiration to me. They are truly among the best out there keeping American music alive and vital.” - Dave Alvin
We are so excited to be hosting Mollie and Rich and want to thank Dick Brundle of Fiddling Cricket for introducing us.
Check out Mollie's website: http://www.mollieobrien.com/
